Effects of drug overdose in television drama on presentations for self poisoning

BMJ 1999;319:1131 ( 23 October )

Letters

Effects of drug overdose in television drama on presentations for self poisoning

Antifreeze poisonings give more insight into copycat behaviour

A causal association cannot yet be inferred

Study is impressive but raises methodological concerns

Authors' reply

Antifreeze poisonings give more insight into copycat behaviour

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ Hawton et al highlight the effect of the media on influencing the incidence of deliberate self poisoning.¹ However,they and other authors suggest that the changes noted are theresult of spontaneous variation in the patterns of particularoverdoses rather than a direct effect of the specific televisedincident. ² ³ One of the limitations of previous studies hasbeen that the investigators have monitored the total numbers ofdeliberate self poisoning and, specifically, paracetamol overdoses,which are comparatively common. A clearer picture emerges foragents used less commonly for deliberate self harm, such as antifreeze,which commonly contains ethylene glycol ormethanol.

The figure shows the numbers of intentional and accidental cases of poisoning by ethylene glycol reported to the NationalPoisons Information Service (London) during two specific monthsand, for comparison, from January 1996 to January 1997. In April1995 the Independent reported an inquest into an antifreeze poisoning,⁴which subsequently . . . [Full text of this article]

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Effects of a drug overdose in a television drama on presentations to hospital for self poisoning: time series and questionnaire study: Keith Hawton, Sue Simkin, Jonathan J Deeks, Susan O'Connor, Allison Keen, Douglas G Altman, Greg Philo, and Christopher Bulstrode
BMJ 1999 318: 972-977. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]